grahamc Posted January 18, 2023 Share #1  Posted January 18, 2023 (edited) Advertisement (gone after registration) Just a fun one.  I have 3 M film bodies(MP, M6 TTL, M6 J), I love them all and have never been particularly analytical about which one has the smoother film advance action and shutter release button. What was clear though is that my M6 TTL is less smooth than both my MP & 6J  However, having just returned from a trip where I only took MP, I realise when using the M6J again that it is by quite some margin smoother than the MP.  This is true of the film advance aswell as the shutter release, which is beautifully cushioned on the J.  I was also fortunate to try a Kanto-overhauled M2 in a shop last year and it was like silk !  Just beautiful.   So I was wondering, what’s the smoothest M model you’ve owned or used ? I understand that usage and servicing plays a part in any given example, but wonder if we will see any consistencies in responses.      Edited January 18, 2023 by grahamc 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted January 18, 2023 Posted January 18, 2023 Hi grahamc, Take a look here Which is your smoothest film M !. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
jakontil Posted January 18, 2023 Share #2  Posted January 18, 2023 (edited) Hi mate, as u kno i got 3 bodies, m2-r, m6TTL dragon and MP and you know how proud i was everytime i told you how buttery smooth the m2r is, even the shutter is qay sensitive compared to the rest 😂😂😂.. it just got back frm CLA, and it’s like even my breath would seem to initiate the shutter… winding is like.. hell? Almost not retention m6TTL dragon comes second in terms of smoothness… im not sure if it is a myth, but i was told, an M analog would come back smoother after CLA? May be thst explains why my MP are the harshest of the bunch but im sure the brass part in the shutter mechanism compared to steel in the M6 and MP play a major part in terms of smoothness and noise Edited January 18, 2023 by jakontil 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamc Posted January 18, 2023 Author Share #3  Posted January 18, 2023 9 minutes ago, Al Brown said: The butter is the M6, but the M2 was no slouch either. Still, M6 wins hands down. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Interesting.  If the 6J is a 6 underneath then that's 2 slabs of butter for the M6 classic Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamc Posted January 18, 2023 Author Share #4  Posted January 18, 2023 (edited) 15 minutes ago, jakontil said: Hi mate, as u kno i got 3 bodies, m2-r, m6TTL dragon and MP and you know how proud i was everytime i told you how buttery smooth the m2r is, even the shutter is qay sensitive compared to the rest 😂😂😂.. it just got back frm CLA, and it’s like even my breath would seem to initiate the shutter… winding is like.. hell? Almost not retention m6TTL dragon comes second in terms of smoothness… im not sure if it is a myth, but i was told, an M analog would come back smoother after CLA? May be thst explains why my MP are the harshest of the bunch but im sure the brass part in the shutter mechanism compared to steel in the M6 and MP play a major part in terms of smoothness and noise That M2-R sounds lovely my friend  !  And the Kanto-overhauled M2 I tried in the store was the same - no retention at all, smoother than any of my cameras I 'think' (of course I didn't have all mine there to try) Edited January 18, 2023 by grahamc 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
105012 Posted January 18, 2023 Share #5  Posted January 18, 2023 It’s a close finish between my Kanto-overhauled M3 and my Takahashi-overhauled M3 (both spring return single stroke), in fact too close to call… 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikep996 Posted January 18, 2023 Share #6 Â Posted January 18, 2023 My (1984) M6! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmans Posted January 18, 2023 Share #7  Posted January 18, 2023 Advertisement (gone after registration) I have the MA, M6 (1980's version) and M3. The MA is the smoothest......  The M6 and M3 are about the same but a  notch below the MA. I also have a Barnacks 1 as I figured I would just toss that in. Not smooth, but perhaps more enjoyable in that you have to manually advance by turning the knob 360. Does that count? -) jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sensorix Posted January 18, 2023 Share #8  Posted January 18, 2023 (edited) 642dcf34-eeef-4319-a2fd-40919f56d0ca.mov  M-A ... 😎 left hand challenge Edited January 18, 2023 by Sensorix Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huss Posted January 18, 2023 Share #9  Posted January 18, 2023 19 minutes ago, Sensorix said:  642dcf34-eeef-4319-a2fd-40919f56d0ca.mov 781.99 kB · 1 download  M-A ... 😎 left hand challenge Your finger missed the shutter button on the initial attempt.  So left hand challenge fail? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huss Posted January 18, 2023 Share #10 Â Posted January 18, 2023 M3, MdA, MP, M-A, M7, M7, M5. Least smooth is the M5. Â That is easy to tell. Â Most smooth is the MdA. Â Or M3. Â Or MP. Or.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted January 18, 2023 Share #11 Â Posted January 18, 2023 M2. But then that is my only M camera so it would be. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
colint544 Posted January 18, 2023 Share #12 Â Posted January 18, 2023 I have an M2, M4, and M5. I've had them for many years, since before the prices went crazy. The M2 was sent to Kanto back in 2013. They overhauled it, stripped the chrome, and painted it black. It's, by a mile, smoother and quieter than my other two M cameras. There is just the barest snick from the shutter. All three cameras are a joy to shoot with, but the M2 feels particularly special. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
logan2z Posted January 18, 2023 Share #13  Posted January 18, 2023 11 minutes ago, colint544 said: The M2 was sent to Kanto back in 2013. They overhauled it, stripped the chrome, and painted it black. Very tempting, although I recently bought an M2 that was just fully overhauled at Wetzlar, so it won't be due for another overhaul for a long time (hopefully!). Still, converting it to black paint would be very nice. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGodParticle/Hari Posted January 18, 2023 Share #14  Posted January 18, 2023 MP3 smoothest, M2 second, M6 TTL Black paint Dragon 0.85 third, M5 and M7 tie for the last. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shirubadanieru Posted January 18, 2023 Share #15 Â Posted January 18, 2023 By far M3 DS & M3 SS transitional are the smoothest cameras ever. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomB_tx Posted January 18, 2023 Share #16 Â Posted January 18, 2023 For film advance - "smooth" under what conditions: advancing with or without film? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huss Posted January 18, 2023 Share #17 Â Posted January 18, 2023 34 minutes ago, TomB_tx said: For film advance - "smooth" under what conditions: advancing with or without film? How do you use the camera? 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mech-Dragon Posted January 18, 2023 Share #18  Posted January 18, 2023 I own a M2, an early M3 DS, and a M4. My M2 still tops both of the others as the smoothest, it's wonderful. My M3 is nice but the double stroke of it breaks up the one sweeping motion. My M4 had sat in it's case for years, maybe a couple decades, before I bought it and had it painted then CLA'd. It's just now feeling like it's "broken in" and getting smoother with use. I owned a M4-P and surprisingly that was incredibly smooth, nearly matching the M2. That was also the one that looked like it had gone through hell and back, so it must have seen many miles of film! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamc Posted January 18, 2023 Author Share #19  Posted January 18, 2023 23 minutes ago, Mech-Dragon said: I own a M2, an early M3 DS, and a M4. My M2 still tops both of the others as the smoothest, it's wonderful. My M3 is nice but the double stroke of it breaks up the one sweeping motion. My M4 had sat in it's case for years, maybe a couple decades, before I bought it and had it painted then CLA'd. It's just now feeling like it's "broken in" and getting smoother with use. I owned a M4-P and surprisingly that was incredibly smooth, nearly matching the M2. That was also the one that looked like it had gone through hell and back, so it must have seen many miles of film! Yes I’m thinking my 6J has either seemed a lot of film or had an extremely good service.  My MP needs wearing in further I think Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrew01 Posted January 18, 2023 Share #20 Â Posted January 18, 2023 I have an M3 SS and M6, both recently serviced. Â The M3 is smoother, but the M6 is still excellent. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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